Reading Theme:
Lunar New Year: Meaning, Traditions & Usage
Meaning 1：Lunar New Year festival (Lunar New Year)
Lunar New Year
/ˈluːnər ˌnuː ˈjɪr/
n.
The first day of the year in a calendar system based on the cycles of the moon. It's a major cultural holiday in many parts of Asia, marking a time for family, food, and celebration.
Lunar New Year festival
➕
/ˈluːnər ˌnuː ˈjɪr ˈfɛstəvəl/
n.
A cultural holiday that celebrates the start of the new year according to the lunar calendar, typically observed with family reunions, feasts, and traditional rituals in various Asian cultures.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
Lunar (Latin 'luna' moon) + New (Old English 'nīwe') + Year (Old English 'gēar').
💡 Mnemonic
Think: 'Lunar' means moon, so Lunar New Year is the new year of the moon's cycle.
📖 Example
Every Lunar New Year, my grandmother spends days preparing special dishes for our family reunion dinner.
Every Lunar New Year, my grandmother spends days preparing special dishes for our family reunion dinner.
🔗 Collocations
celebrate the Lunar New Year – Participate in festivities for the Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year traditions – Customary practices associated with the Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year reunion dinner – The special family meal held on the eve of the Lunar New Year
🔄 Synonyms
Chinese New Year (n.) – The most widely known name for the Lunar New Year, particularly referring to celebrations in Chinese culture.
Spring Festival (n.) – The official name of the Lunar New Year in China, emphasizing the spring season.
Tet (Vietnamese New Year) (n.) – The Vietnamese version of the Lunar New Year, with its own unique customs.
🚫 Antonyms
Solar New Year (n.) – The new year based on the Gregorian solar calendar, celebrated on January 1st.
🌱 Derivatives
lunisolar (adj.) – Relating to or based on both the moon and the sun, as lunisolar calendars.
📖 Cultural Story
Observed for millennia in East Asia, the Lunar New Year follows the lunisolar calendar, marking the first new moon. It originated from ancient harvest festivals and is now celebrated globally with family gatherings and traditional customs.
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